The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Best way to get 1911 grip stud off of grip screw

HiBC · August 4, 2021, 12:48 PM

I have the staking tool,and I have staked the bushings.

At some point along the way I ran into a frame where the threads in the grip frame that the bushing screws into were stripped.
No,I did not monkey them up,it was brought to me with a request to help.

They are very fine threads,56 tpi,as I recall....and 1911 frames are not all that hard.

So it occurred to me removing staked bushings could damage the threads in the grip frame as the staked portion is forced through.

Call it my speculation and fear.

I was able to repair the frame with the stripped thread. Brownell's sells an oversize tap and oversize bushings. The tap is expensive. But it works.

I have abandoned staking the bushings in favor of Loctite.Heat will release the Loctite with no danger of damaging the frame threads.

What also makes a difference is whether the screws tighten against the counterbore in the grip panels or jam up against the bushings.

August 4, 2021, 12:48 PM	#13
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,295	I have the staking tool,and I have staked the bushings. At some point along the way I ran into a frame where the threads in the grip frame that the bushing screws into were stripped. No,I did not monkey them up,it was brought to me with a request to help. They are very fine threads,56 tpi,as I recall....and 1911 frames are not all that hard. So it occurred to me removing staked bushings could damage the threads in the grip frame as the staked portion is forced through. Call it my speculation and fear. I was able to repair the frame with the stripped thread. Brownell's sells an oversize tap and oversize bushings. The tap is expensive. But it works. I have abandoned staking the bushings in favor of Loctite.Heat will release the Loctite with no danger of damaging the frame threads. What also makes a difference is whether the screws tighten against the counterbore in the grip panels or jam up against the bushings.